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L. A. DARLING.

TURBINE AND TURBINEWHEEL.

APPLICATION FIILED MAR-4,191??- 1,401,321 Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

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Lewis Harm L. A. DARLING.

TURBINE AND TURBINE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4,1919. 1,401,321., Patented Dec. 27, 1921. 2SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SERVICE SUPPLIEB COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA-'IION OF PENNBYLVAN IA.

TURBINE AND TURBINE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 27, 1921.

Application filed March 4, 1919. Serial No. 280,562.

To all who mat may concern Be it known that I, LEWIS A. DARLING,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in thecounty of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Turbines and Turbine-Wheels, of

which the'following is a specification reference being had to theaccompanying rawin s.

y invention. relates to turbines and turbine wheels, and e ecially toturbines of the radial flow type. t is concerned both with the mountingand arrangement of the turbine buckets or blades and the construction ofthe turbine wheel or rotor in general, and also with the direction ofthe motive fluid to secure the desired action on the rotor.

As regards buckets and wheel and fluid directing means, the main objectsof the invention are stability and permanence of the structure;simplicity of construction and facility of assemblage;and generaleconomy of manufacture; as regards the action of the motive fluid onthe. rotor, reduction of the rotor speed necessary to operatingefficiency by fractional abstraction of the kinetic energy of the fluid.These features are of special advantage in the case of very smallturbines, as'will readil beunderstood.

In the drawings, Figure I, is a side view of an elastic fluid turbinewheel constructed in accordance with my invention and of motive fluiddirecting means associated with it, said directina means and theadjacent portion of the wheel being in section.

Fig. II, is an edge view of the wheel and of the adjacent fluiddirecting means, the last mentioned part being in section.

F i III, shows the wheel in section at the line II-III,of Fig. I.

Fig. IV, is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Fig. I, but takenfrom the other side of the wheel; it shows in section a fluid directingmeans which in Fig. I, appears in dotted lines.

F 1g. VII, shows a section throu h the last mentioned device on the lineVI -VII, of F 1g. VI.

1g. VIII, is a view of the same device in section at the line VIII-VIII,of Fi VII.

Flg. IX, is a perspective view of a ucket on an enlarged scale, showingone form of gnu-turning engagement lug on its end sur ace. Fig. X, is afragmentary sectional view lllustratlng a modified construction of theturbine wheel.

.Fi XI, is a similar view of a further modl cation.

Referring first to Figs. I II, and III, it Wlll be seen that the turbinewheel has a plurality of peripheral bucket passes formed, as .shownbrows of buckets 10 and 11, mounted en wise against opposite sides of thewheel body 12, so as to project laterally or overhang with reference tothe adJacent portion of the wheel structure. As shown, the buckets 11,are made larger than the buckets 10, so as to handle properly a largervolume of motive fluid, so that the two passes may act properly when thefluid traverses them in succession.

The motive fluid is first directed against one side of the bucket pass'10, by a nozzle 15, adjacent the buckets; and as it issues from theother side of the pass, it is received by a re-directing element 16, andturned through an angle of about 180 and redirected back into the bucketpass 1]., issuing at the side of the buckets at which it first enteredthe pass 10. The recess or cavity of the member 16, is stepped in aplurality of cylindrical surfaces 17 which are at appropriate angles toone another for acting properly on the streams of fluid issuing from thecurved wheel periphery at various points. From Figs. I, IV, and V, itwill be seen that the fluid issuing from the bucket pass 11, as justdescribed, may be received by an additional directing element 18, and byit turned through an angle of approximately 180 and re-directed backagainst the side of the bucket pass 11, whence it just issued, so as totraverse this same pass once more. This last directing member 18,consists, as shown in Figs. IV and V, of a part having in one side asubstantially U-shaped channel, inclined with reference to its curvedface adjacent the buckets, and a cover plate 19, secured to one side ofthis part.

As shown, the initial one of the aforesaid fluid-directing devices-thedischargenozzle 15,-is arranged inside the overhanging bucket pass 10:the first redirecting element 16, is arranged adjacent the wheelperiphery; and the other re-directing element 18, is arranged inside ofthe overhanging bucket pass 11. The re-direeting guide element 16, has abracket 20, (see Fig. II) for securing it to the turbine casing or otherstructure (not shown), and the element 18, is secured to an appropriateflange or other portion 21, of such structure (see Fig. V) the plate 19,lying adjacent the wheel body or web 12. It will be seen that by thisarrangement, the kinetic energy of the motive fluid is abstractedfractionally,-tl1at is to say, in successive steps,-as the fluid makesits successive traverses through the wheel buckets.

The directing device 26, shown in Figs.

VI, VII, and VIII, corresponds in function and action to thedevice 16,of Figs. I and III, but is adapted to re-direct the motive fluid moreefliciently by avoiding mingling and interference of the currents offluid entering and leaving the device. As shown, the device 26, has amain body part 27, similar to the one part which forms the entire device16. In the walls of the recess or cavity of this part 27, at theboundaries between the steps of its inner surface, are inclined grooves28, and in these grooves are mounted appropriately shaped metal plates29, which divide the recess into a plurality of pockets. In each ofthese pockets is mounted a block 30, which, in combination with itsother walls, forms a U-shaped pass 31, and separates the entering andleaving streams of motive fluid. As shown, the

blocks 30, are placed to one side of the centers of the pockets, so thatthe U-shaped passes 31, enlarge slightly toward their exits. It will beobserved, moreover, that the plates 29, act to separate the U-shapedpasses and obviate interference and consequent eddies of the streams ofmotive fluid which might otherwise result from the angle between themedian planes of adjacent passes.

I will now describe in detail the construction of the turbine wheel.

As will be seen from Figs. I and II, the main body of the wheelcomprises a central hub 32, with a conical axial opening and ashouldered peripheral flange 33, and a pair of metal plates 34-, and 35,secured at opposite sides of this flange by rivets 36. As shown, theseplates are dished, and their portions surrounding the central dishedportions lie in contact and are secured together by spot welding. Thebucket-carrying outer edge or rim portions 38, 38, of the plates 34. and35, are, as shown, offset or joggled away from one another at 39, 39, toafford an intermediate space. As the buckets 1.0 and 11, are secured tothe rim portions 38, 38, in exactly the same manner, it will sutiice todescribe in detail the securing of the buckets 10.

From Figs. I and II, it will be seen that the bucket-mounting rimelement of each half of the wheel comprises not only the main rimportion or member 38, just referred. to, but also a supplemental rimmember &0, in the form of a flat ring lying against the main rim member.The buckets 10, it will be seen, have at their ends which are seatedagainst the main rim member 38, engagement means adapted to cooperatewith a correlative feature of said rim member to prevent turning of thebuckets with reference thereto. As shown in Fig. IX, this engagementmeans may have the form of a lug 41, upstanding from the end. surface ofthe bucket 10, and this lug 41, may have a rectangular shape foranti-turning engagement in an appropriately shaped aperture in the mainrim member 38, to facilitate rapid assemblage, the sides of the lug 41,may be inclined or tapered. It will be understood, however, that a greatvariety of other shapes besides rectangular would enable the lug 11, toperform its anti-turning function.

On the other ends of the brackets 10, is a cover element 12. (shown in F1, as comprising a plurality of sections or segments) for securing thebuckets endwise against the rim element 38, -10. Securing members 4-3,extend from cover to rim and secure these two mounting elements togetherindependently of the buckets 10. As shown, in Figs. I, II. and IX, thebuckets 10, have holes let, extending length-wise through them andregistering with corresponding holes in the members 38, 4:0, and 4-2,and the securing members 43, extend through all these parts and haveheads 15, 16, engaging the members a0 and 4-2, having, indeed; the formof rivets. i

It will be seen that the outer edges of the supplemental rim members+10, lie son'iewhat within those of the main rim members 38. and thatagainst the shoulder so formed there lies a strip or band member 17,which not only covers the rivet heads 41-5. ll-5, and makes theperiphery of the whole wheel perfectly even, but also positively spacesthe main rim members 38. 38, apart outside the rivets 43, 43, andresists any tendency for the centrifugal force on the parts to bend saidrim members 38, 38, inward toward one another. This member 47. may becured to the adjacent edges of the rim members 38, 38, by brazed, fused.welded, or other similar joints, so as to make it \irtually integralwith them.

In Fig. X, I have shown a construction in which supplemental rim membersare dispensed with and a single set of rivets 50, employed to securetogether the two members 51, 51, and the parts associated with each ofthem. The strip orband member a 52, which spaces the rim members 51,"51,

apart and resists deformation of them by centrifugal force lies directlyagainst the middle portions of the rivets 50, and is secured to said rimmembers 51, 51, by filletlike fused 'oints 5 3, 53.

In Fig. I, the outer edges of the rim members 54, 54, are bent over toform flanges 55, 55 that meet edgewise and so perform the functions ofthe member 52, of Fig. Their edges may, if desired, be secured togetherby a fused joint.

In all three forms of wheel construction shown, therefore, the wheel rimas a whole is inherently stable and balanced, substantially, againstdeformation by centrifugal force on the buckets, by virtue of thepositive (and, as shown, integral) spacing means between the outer edgesof the disk rims and the co-action therewith of the rivets.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a turbine, the combination of a wheel with a plurality ofperipheral rows of radial-flow buckets, means for directing motive fluidagainst the bucket of one of said rows from one side thereof, means forre-directing the fluid issuing from said buckets to strike the bucketsof the other row, and means for again redirecting the fluid back throughthe buckets of the second row. a

2. In a turbine, the combination of a wheel with a plurality ofperipheral radial flow bucket passes overhanging on opposite sides ofthe adjacent body portion; means for directing motive fluid againstbuckets of one of said passes from one side thereof; means forredirecting the fluid issuing from said buckets back through the bucketsof the other pass; and means for again re-directing the fluid backagainst the buckets of said latter pass.

3. In a turbine, the combination of a Wheel with a plurality ofperipheral radial flow bucket passes, the buckets project ing laterallyor overhanging with reference to the adjacent portion of the wheelstructure in one of said passes; means inside said overhanging pass fordirecting motive fluid outward against its buckets; means adjacent theperiphery of the wheel for re-directing the motive fluid inward to thebuckets in the other pass and means for again re-directing the fluidback through the buckets of latter pass.

4. 1m a turbine, the combination of a wheel with a plurality ofperipheral radial flow bucket passe overhanging on opposite sides of theadjacent body portion; means inside one of said overhanging passes fordirecting motive fluid outward against its buckets; means adjacent theperiphery of the wheel for re-directing the motive fluid inward to thebuckets in the other pass; and means inside said latter pass forre-directing the motive fluid back against the buckets of said latterpass.

A turbine wheel comprising a hub, a pair of disks or plates securedtogether and to said hub, the plates lying in contact near theirperipheries and their outer edge or rim portions being joggled away fromone another; a row of radial flow buckets arranged endwise against therim portion of each plate; cover elements on the other ends of saidbuckets; and rivets extending through cover elements, buckets, and rimmembers and securing them together; the separated joggled rim portionsof said plates being positively spaced apart, at their outer edges,against deformation by centrifugal force.

6. A turbine wheel in accordance with claim 5, in combination with aband between the rim members serving to pace them apart and resistdeformation of them by centrifugal force.

7. A turbine wheel comprising a pair of disks or plates secured togetherand in contact near their peripheries, the outer edge or rim portions ofsaid plates being joggled away from one another, but positively andintegrally spaced apart at their outermost edges against deformation bycentrifugal force; rows of radial flow buckets arranged endwise againstthe rim portions of said plates; cover elements on the other ends ofsaid buckets; and rivets extending through cover elements, buckets, andrim members and holding them together; so that the wheel rim as a wholeis inherently stable and balanced, substantially, against deformation bycentrifugal force on the buckets.

8. A turbine wheel comprising a pair of dished disks or plates securedtogether with a hub between their central dished portions and theirsurrounding portions in contact, the outer edge or rim portions of saidplates being joggled away from one another, but positively spaced apartat their outermost edges against deformation by centrifugal force; rowsof radial flow buckets arranged cndwise against the rim portions of saidplates; cover elements on the other ends of said buckets; and rivetsextending through cover elements, buckets, and rim members and holdingthem together; so that the wheel rim as a whole is inherently stable andbalanced, substantially, against deformation by centrifugal force on thebuckets.

9. A turbine wheel comprising a pair of dished disks or plates securedtogether with a hub between their central dished portions and theirsurrounding portions in contact, the outer edge or-rim portion of saidplates being joggled away from one another, a row of radial flow bucketsarranged jendwise against the rim portion of each plate, cover elementson the other ends of said buckets, and rivets extending through coverelements, buckets, and plates with heads in the space between their rimportions.

10. A motive fluid re-directing device for .use in connection with awheel having two peripheral radial flow bucket passes, said devicecomprlslng a part with a step-bottomed recess and with inclined groovesin the walls of said recess at the boundaries 15 between the steps,metal plates in said grooves dividing the recess into a pluralitv ofpockets, and a block in each pocket forming, in combination with itsother walls, a

U-shaped pass lying at an angle to the wheel 20

